Screening Out the Introverts

William Pannapacker:

We now live under a kind of extrovert tyranny, Cain writes, and that has led to a culture of shallow thinking, compulsory optimism, and escalating risk-taking in pursuit of success, narrowly defined. In other words, extroverts--amplifying each other's groundless enthusiasms--could be responsible for the economic crisis because the do not listen to introverts, even when there are some around (and they are not trying to pass as extroverts).

Introversion is definitely not generally respected in our culture anymore. Some view it as a mental deficiency. This view has permeated schools, businesses, and even our churches. (How did extroversion become a sign of spirituality? What about the monastics?)

As a society, we need to value the introvert and look to them for the insight and wisdom that comes more naturally to someone who is silent and contemplative.

Ask. Seek. Knock. Breathe

Beth Woolsey:

As a mama who cares about my kids' relationships with God, I have to ask myself... am I engaging in spiritual conversations with them with love and kindness? Or am I fearful and angry about their doubts and conclusions? Do I actually believe that God will answer my kids' questions with true discoveries and open doors? Or am I trying to rapidly solve their theological dilemmas by assuring them that God has already gifted me with all the answers and so they needn't bother God by asking themselves?

Defined as a problem…

Larry James:

As we talked, he said something that pulled me back to Gerald's comments.

“You know,” he began quietly, “people think it’s dangerous here, that we’re dangerous. But, we’re not. We’re just like everyone else, just working through issues, just trying to get on with life. We’re not dangerous.”

What if your life was regarded by most people as a dangerous life, a person to be avoided?

Something to think about as we continue to dismantle stereotypes that plague our perspectives and continue to injure others.

You’re Looking in the Wrong Direction

Patrick Kennedy:

... the Near East Dallas area should, SHOULD, be one of the most active, valuable areas in the entire city. If not THE most. This is why I think this area will blow uptown out of the water in terms of amount of investment, future tax base and especially CHARACTER. There is so much charm and history there to be enjoyed if we can get our act together.

Mayfests! - Six Dallas Festivals that Make May Awesome

Jennifer Smart:

... it's time for May and six more can't miss fests to entertain you during May's glorious weekends.

Two Guys From Andromeda are Back

->[vimeo 40360917 w=500 h=375]<-

Amazon settles sales tax fight with Texas comptroller

Ross Ramsey:

Amazon.com will start collecting sales taxes from Texas customers this summer and agreed to make capital investments of $200 million and create 2,500 jobs in the state over the next four years, Comptroller Susan Combs announced this morning. In return, the state will drop its efforts to collect back sales taxes from the company. ... With the new deal, the company will start collecting sales taxes on July 1.

Reciprocal and Sustainable Community

Ann and Derran Reese:

However, I am becoming a bigger believer in the idea that the most significant cause for poverty is out (or at least my) unwillingness to live in reciprocal, self-sacrificing community with the "other". I create poverty when I grasp on tightly to what is mine. I create it by holding onto the differences between "us" and "them." I create the poor because I do not see them as my brother or sister. What the world needs is a people who hold onto things loosely in order to live in reciprocal and sustainable community.

The Apostle John put it this way:

Don’t Let Business Lobbyists Kill the Post Office

Conventional wisdom says that the US Postal Service is going broke because it has an out of date business model, and that it is a waste of government resources.

Matt Taibbi reports:

But politics also plays a huge part in this. In 2006, in what looks like an attempt to bust the Postal Workers' Union, George Bush signed into law the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006. This law required the Postal Service to pre-fund 100 percent of its entire future obligations for 75 years of health benefits to its employees -- and not only do it, but do it within ten years. No other organization, public or private, has to pre-fund 100 percent of its future health benefits.

The impact of this legislation?

The new law forced the postal service to come up with about $5.5 billion a year for the ten years following the bill's passage. In 2006, before those payments kicked in, the USPS generated a small profit. Not surprisingly, the USPS is now basically broke.

Report Text Message Spam to AT&T

Glenn Fleishman:

1. Bring up the text message in Messages and be sure not to click any embedded URLs in the message.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap the empty circular (radio-style) button to the left of the unwanted message. The Forward button activates.
4. Tap the Forward button.
5. Enter 7726 (the numeric equivalent of the letters S, P, A, and M on a telephone keypad) and tap Send.
6. AT&T responds with a message asking you to send the number from which the message originated (this and the spam report are cost-free if you have a limited message plan).

Dallas PD intends to use license-plates readers to catch criminals now and gather “information” for use later

Robery Wilonsky:

...Last summer First Assistant City Manager A.C. Gonzalez told the city council it also intends to use license plate recognition cams to "locate individuals owning outstanding City of Dallas fines and fees by identifying their vehicles on Dallas streets and then posting notices on vehicles that may have outstanding bills with the Dallas Courts offices." None of which sits well with at least one local defense attorney.

The Case Against Google

Mat Honan:

If it can't keep its promises, if it can't avoid resorting to trickery, if it can't keep itself from subverting the power of its search engine for commercial ends, and on top of all that if it can't even deliver the highest quality search results at a default setting--the most basic thing people have come to expect from Google, the very thing its name has become synonymous with--why should you trust it with your personal data?

Do we really love people who aren’t Christian?

Jon Acuff:

We think we do. We think we're doing a good job at that, but how do you really show someone love? You spend time with them. You stand with them. You be with them. I think that's a big part of what love looks like.

Big & Bright chosen as theme for 2012 Fair

Big Tex:

The State Fair of Texas(R) has selected Big and Bright as its theme for the upcoming 2012 season, which begins Sept. 28 and runs through Oct. 21.

Is it too early to start getting excited about the Fair?

Leading the way will be a Chinese Lantern Festival featuring illuminated and animated displays as large as 50 feet high and 300 feet long while fairgoers visiting Cotton Bowl Plaza will be entertained with an all new production of lights and graphics displayed on the facade of the historic Cotton Bowl stadium.

205+ days until it opens. I can’t wait!!!

Mr. Happy Man

-> [vimeo 36673515 w=400 h=225] <-

Mr. Happy Man from Matt Morris Films on Vimeo.

‘Free The Network’ trailer

http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?width=560&#038;deepLinkEmbedCode=dvcHFtMzrMoW8p90W2PneMAROLXLil3E&#038;embedCode=dvcHFtMzrMoW8p90W2PneMAROLXLil3E&#038;height=328

Mobile Sites vs. Apps: The Coming Strategy Shift

Jakob Nielsen:

...the second strategy question is: Should you produce a mobile website or develop special mobile apps? The answer to this question today is quite different from what it will likely be in the future.

tl;dr: Mobile apps are king today, but mobile websites are the future.

via TThor

Saint Valentine

Wikipedia:

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in the Nurembrg Chronicle(1943); alongside the woodcut portrait of Valentine, the text states that he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II, known as Claudius Gothicus. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to the prisoner -- until Valentine tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death.

Happy Valentines Day!

The Remaking of Vickery Meadow

Leslie Minora:

They fled some of the world's most dangerous places, only to land in one of Dallas'. Slowly and unsurely, they're making it their own.

I’ll Fly Away

Richard Beck:

Because here's the deal, does I'll Fly Away make any sense when it's sung by rich people of power and privilege? I mean, what the heck are you flying away from? Life in suburbia? The Caramel Macchiatos at Starbucks? The vacations at the beach? The fact that you have clean water, indoor plumbing, central heating/air, and two cars? ... So of course when the privileged sing the song it sounds theologically shallow. The privileged shouldn't be trying to fly away. They should be worrying about the injustices at the gate.

…

In sum, I’m back to the realization that Christianity sounds different–theology, hymnody, and the bible itself–when heard from the margins of society. What doesn’t make sense at the centers of power, prosperity and privilege often make a while lot of sense on the periphery.

The Worst Tech Awards Show Ever

John C. Dvorak:

It's all very superficial and annoying. Awards, however, are often designed to be slightly controversial and draw attention. Otherwise, nobody would write about them. It's part of the game. So, a few editors decide on stupid nominees, bad winners, and weird anomalies, typically over lunch. Decades ago, I was in such a meeting and one of the managers rigged a specific award because he was getting laid by the "winning" company's PR representative. Whatever works.

He may not be your kind of guy, but just watch this video of him playing up there without all the assistance and he will definitely show you what it’s like.

-><-

via @CoffeeGeek

What is a Just War?

Andrew P. Napolitano

The problem with most wars is that they are more strategic and adventurist than they are just.

via @southern__bread

The Illusion of Privacy

Tal Givoly:

What happens when people have the "illusion of privacy"? Naturally, they feel more comfortable in sharing information, uploading photos and videos online, etc. Once they feel more comfortable about doing so, they do it more often. This, obviously, is the intention of Facebook, and many other corporations.

via Dave Winer